CEUS – Central European Science Partnership Austria – Czech
CEUS – Central European Science Partnership
Austria – Czech Republic – Poland – Slovenia Call for Proposals - Preannouncement
Please note that proposals in response to this call can only be submitted as of 22 February 2020. Until then, bilateral proposals can be submitted to the existing calls between FWF and ARRS as well as between FWF and NCN (“Mozart”).
Table of contents
1. Introduction...... 2 1.1. Thematic scope ...... 2 1.2. Number of partners ...... 2 1.3. Project duration ...... 2
2. Lead Agency Procedure ...... 2 2.1. How to define the Lead Agency ...... 3 2.2. Cost calculation ...... 3 2.3. Deadline ...... 4
3. How to submit a proposal ...... 4 3.1. FWF acts as Lead Agency...... 4 3.1.1. Formal requirements at FWF ...... 4 3.1.2. Formal Requirements at ARRS ...... 5 3.1.3. Formal Requirements at GACR ...... 5 3.1.4. Formal Requirements at NCN ...... 5 3.2. ARRS, GA ČR or NCN acts as Lead Agency...... 6 3.2.1. Requirements for Austrian applicants ...... 6 3.2.2. Requirements for applicants from the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia 7
4. Graphic Summary (bilateral / trilateral consortium) ...... 8
5. Contacts ...... 9
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1. Introduction
The Austrian Science Fund (FWF), together with the Czech Science Foundation (Grantová agentura Česke republiky, GA ČR), the National Science Centre of Poland (NCN, Narodowe Centrum Nauki) and the Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS, Javna agencija za raziskovalno dejavnost Republike Slovenije) has established the Central European Science Partnership (CEUS) in order to intensify the scientific links between researchers from Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovenia. Together, the four research funding organisations offer the possibility to apply for Joint Research Projects between researchers from two or three of the partner countries. Joint Research Projects must combine the complementary expertise of the project partners. The project parts should be closely integrated combining substantial scientific input from all partners.
1.1. Thematic scope
The call is open to all areas of scientific research, including the Humanities and clinical research.
1.2. Number of partners
Joint Projects submitted in response to this call can include partners from either two or three of the partner countries. Proposals involving partners from all four countries are not eligible.
1.3. Project duration
Proposals for bi- or trilateral Joint Projects between Partners from Austria, Poland and Slovenia can have a maximum duration of four years.
Bi- or trilateral projects involving partners from the Czech Republic can have a maximum duration of three years.
The applied project duration must be identical on all sides.
2. Lead Agency Procedure
Proposals submitted to this call will be administered in accordance with the principles of the Lead Agency Procedure. This means that the joint proposal will be evaluated by only one of the involved research funding organisations. Proposals for joint projects will be processed by the Lead Agency according to its standard evaluation and decision making procedures. The Lead Agency will make a funding recommendation which is the basis of the decision by the
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partner funding agency/agencies. The individual projects parts will be funded separately by the respective national research funding organistion.
2.1. How to define the Lead Agency
In order to establish which research funding organization acts as the Lead Agency, the distribution of application sum is decisive. The following thresholds apply:
- Bilateral projects: at least 40 % of the entire project costs must be applied for at the Lead Agency. - Trilateral projects: at least 25 % of the entire project costs must be applied for at the Lead Agency.
Please note that the comparative CEUS cost sheet must be submitted to the Lead Agency (in addition to the respective national cost-breakdowns).
2.2. Cost calculation
The two or three project parts will be funded separately, by FWF, ARRS, GA ČR or NCN, in accordance with the respective national guidelines. The following guidelines apply:
Austrian project part FWF guidelines for stand-alone projects (“Einzelprojekte”) or, in the case of clinical research, guidelines for the programme for Clinical Research (KLIF
Czech project part guidelines for GA ČR “Lead Agency Grants”
Polish project part If NCN acts as Lead Agency: guidelines for the NCN OPUS programme
If ARRS, FWF or GAČR acts as Lead Agency: CEUS-Unisono
Slovenian project part guidelines for ARRS “national research projects”
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2.3. Deadline
The deadline depends on the Lead Agency.
FWF acts as Lead Agency Proposal submission anytime, no deadline
ARRS acts as Lead Agency Deadline of “national research projects”
GACR acts as Lead Agency Deadline of “LA Grants” scheme
NCN acts as Lead Agency Deadline of “OPUS” scheme, September edition
3. How to submit a proposal
3.1. FWF acts as Lead Agency
3.1.1. Formal requirements at FWF
Joint proposals submitted to FWF as the Lead Agency must be prepared in accordance with the guidelines for stand-alone projects or, in the case of clinical research, for the FWF programme for clinical research. The project description must encompass the entire bi- or trilateral research project.
In addition to the elements stipulated in the guidelines, the project description must include additional information on:
The distribution of work between the partners The added value of the international co-operation
The 20 page limit applies.
Annex 1(“Financial aspects”) must include information on the Austrian and all other international project parts.
In addition to the respective national cost sheets the comparative CEUS cost sheet must be included.
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3.1.1.1. Clinical research
For proposals in the area of clinical research, the guidelines of the FWF programme for Clinical Research (KLIF) apply. The Austrian applicant must submit a positive opinion from the relevant ethics commission or evidence of a fundamental approval/endorsement by that commission. The document must be sent to FWF together with the other submission documents. The partners from the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovenia must follow the rules of GA ČR, NCN and ARRS respectively.
3.1.2. Formal Requirements at ARRS
For Slovenian applicants the ARRS eligibility criteria and funding limits apply. Slovenian applicants must send the signed and stamped Application Form ARRS- RPROJ-LA-2019 (available on http://www.arrs.gov.si/sl/gradivo/) directly to ARRS in an envelope marked “NE ODPIRAJ – Prijava na vodilno agencijo FWF”, and the electronic form to the e-mail address [email protected].
3.1.3. Formal Requirements at GACR
Czech Applicants need to follow the GACR eligibility rules and guidelines for calculating costs. On-line project proposal must be submitted through GRIS system only (www.gris.cz) and applicants must send a copy of the proposal directly to GACR (e-mail: [email protected]) by the call deadline.
3.1.4. Formal Requirements at NCN
Polish Applicants need to follow the NCN eligibility rules and guidelines for calculating costs.
Polish applicants must submit a complete proposal, drafted in accordance with the data required as set out in the NCN call documentation, via the electronic submission system ZSUN/OSF (Zintegrowany System Usług dla Nauki/Obsługa Strumieni Finansowania) available at www.osf.opi.org.pl, together with a joint proposal identical with the version submitted to FWF.
Data included in the ZSUN/OSF system should be consistent with information included in the joint proposal. Please note that no personal data should be included for post-docs at the Polish side since they should be selected in an open competition; including their data in the application will result in the rejection of the proposal at the eligibility check stage at NCN.
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Expenses of the Polish project part stated in EUR Annex 1 and the comparative CEUS cost sheet using the exchange rate that will be published in the NCN call documentation must equal to the budget provided in PLN in the breakdown of project’s costs in the ZSUN/OSF. Severe discrepancies between the cost statements in EUR in Annex 1 and in the comparative CEUS cost sheet and the budget in PLN stated in ZSUN/OSF may lead to the rejection of the joint proposal.
Please note that no modifications in joint proposals that could influence the budget at the Polish side, the research tasks and other information included in the OSF application are possible after submission.
3.2. ARRS, GA ČR or NCN acts as Lead Agency
Proposals for which ARRS, GA ČR or NCN act as Lead Agency must be submitted to the respective national call of the Lead Agency:
ARRS acts as Lead Agency call for ARRS “National call for Research Projects”
GA ČR acts as Lead Agency call for GA ČR “LA Grants”
NCN acts as Lead Agency call for the NCN OPUS programme
The proposal submitted to the Lead Agency must follow the formal guidelines of the respective call. In addition, the proposal must include information on:
the distribution of work between the partners a budget justification for each national project part
In addition, the comparative CEUS cost sheet must be submitted to the Lead Agency.
3.2.1. Requirements for Austrian applicants
Austrian applicants must meet the eligibility criteria set forth in the application guidelines for FWF stand-alone projects or the FWF programme for clinical research (KLIF), respectively. Applicants in Austria must submit the administrative and financial data for the Austrian project part as well as a scientific abstract (according to FWF guidelines) directly to FWF.
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The data must be submitted to FWF via the Elane system (https://elane.fwf.ac.at), using the programme category “I – International programmes”.
3.2.2. Requirements for applicants from the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia
Applicants must submit their respective administrative and financial data to their respective national funding agency. GA ČR and NCN also require a copy of the proposal submitted to the Lead Agency. For details cf. sections 3.1.2., 3.1.3. and 3.1.4. above.
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4. Graphic Summary (bilateral / trilateral consortium)
Bilateral Proposal
Trilateral Proposal
Researcher Researcher Researcher Country “A“ Country “B“ Country “C“
Joint Proposal Administrative, Administrative, submitted to Lead financial data financial data Agency “B” submitted to submitted to funding agency “A” funding agency “C”
Peer Review Process organized by Lead Agency
Confirmation by Funding Confirmation by Partner Funding recommendation by Partner Funding Agency “A” Lead Agency “B” Agency “C”
Funding contract Funding contract Funding contract Researcher “A” Researcher “B” Researcher “C”
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5. Contacts
FWF – Austrian Science Fund Dr. Christoph Bärenreuter +43 (0)1 / 505 67 40 – 8702 [email protected]
ARRS – Slovenian Research Agency Bojan Volf +386 1 400 5973 [email protected]
GA ČR – Czech Science Foundation Kamila Pětrašová +420 227 088 863 [email protected]
NCN – Polish Science Centre Wawrzyniec Banach +48 12 341 9094 [email protected]
Dr Magdalena Godowska +48 12 341 9016 [email protected]
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